Desolation Angels (1995 film)

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Desolation Angels
Directed by Tim McCann
Written byTim McCann
Starring Michael Rodrick
Jennifer Thomas
Peter Bassett
Release date
  • 1995 (1995)
Country United States
LanguageEnglish

Desolation Angels is a 1995 independent film written and directed by Tim McCann. [1]

Contents

The film premiered at the 1995 Telluride Film Festival. [1] [2] It then won the International Critics Prize (FIPRESCI Prize) at the Toronto International Film Festival [3] and was accepted to the Rotterdam Film Festival. [1]

Reception

In his review of Desolation Angels for Rolling Stone , Peter Travers declared that "male ego is the demon in this blazingly provocative debut film from the gifted Tim McCann," and concluded that viewers "won’t stop talking about this one." [4] Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune praised the film as "an ultra-low budget drama of considerable accomplishment and sometimes extraordinary power" and wrote, "This is probably as devastating a portrayal and indictment of modern male insensitivity as any film has given us recently... One of the year’s more impressive debuts." [5] Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader described the film as "very unlike anything else in American filmmaking," deeming it "a film with an undeniable moral vision." [6] The Los Angeles Times' Kevin Thomas called it "an utterly compelling portrait of depth and complexity," saying, "No wonder Jonathan Demme and Barbet Schroeder have joined forces in presenting Tim McCann’s knockout debut feature... A thoroughly unsettling and sensitive drama of acute psychological insight." [7]

Dave Kehr of the New York Daily News wrote, "McCann’s grimly compelling Desolation Angels takes American independent filmmaking back to where it began – in the male angst of movies like John Cassavetes Husbands ." [8] The Village Voice' Amy Taubin wrote of the film, "A wrenching, smart and bleakly funny debut feature by the uncompromising and very talented Tim McCann... Outstanding." [4] Paper magazine's Dennis Dermody characterized Desolation Angels as "harrowing and though provoking" and wrote, "The movie is so on target about all the macho bullshit that it makes you think Valerie Solanas was right." [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Costello, Ann (May 5, 1996). "Film Wins Many Accolades But Few Rewards for Maker". The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2016. Mr. Demme was host to a private screening of 'Desolation Angels' last summer.... The date was June 21, Mr. McCann's 30th birthday. Note: Source says, "Mr. McCann won the top prize, the Merchant/Ivory Award, in October after his movie had its premiere before packed audiences in Telluride." The 1995 Telluride Film Festival was held in September 1995 and has no "Merchant/Ivory Award".
  2. ↑ "Film Programs: 1995 Telluride Film Festival". FilmScout.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Awards > '90s". FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique / The International Federation of Film Critics). Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "FILMS — TIM MCCANN". Tim McCann. Archived from the original on 2015-09-28. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Wilmington, Michael (October 6, 1996). "'ANGELS' PACKS A JOLT". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  6. ↑ Rosenbaum, Jonathan (October 3, 1996). "Desolation Angels". Chicago Reader . Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (January 28, 1997). "'GRIDLOCK'd' Premiere to Open Festival". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ Kehr, Dave (June 7, 1996). "'Angels' With Clipped Wings". New York Daily News . Retrieved April 17, 2020.


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